Re: Aug. 26-Sept. 8 edition

LSUS Living Legacy Ommissions

The crepe myrtles enhancing the LSUS campus were the university’s gift from the East Shreveport Rotary Club. They were bought and planted by the Rotary Club and other volunteers. Nowhere in your article is that reported. I know. I was president of the East Shreveport Rotary Club when that project was proposed, adopted, and funded. And I helped with the planting.

Helping with the project were the Telephone Pioneers from the old Western Electric plant. All the holes were bored, I believe, by Henckels & McCoy. Heading that project for the Rotary Club was Bob Davis, a former Western Electric employee and at that time on the LSUS staff. The trees were delivered, and the holes dug one to two days before the actual Saturday planting. East Shreveport Rotary Club members and some LSUS faculty and staff gathered on Saturday morning to make the actual planting. A tree was placed by each prepared hole. The original desire was that the crepes be “watermelon red” color, but the white ones were delivered.

Interesting tidbit: When the Rotary Club was considering what beautification project to adopt, we first went to the City of Shreveport, thinking some of the boulevards would be ideal. But that was quickly discouraged because they required overhead and underground assessments be completed before proceeding. LSUS (I was director of human resources at LSUS at that time) was happy to welcome the club’s effort.

LSUS Chancellor Larry Clark even presented an award and photo in 2018 in appreciation for our club’s contribution. Thanks!

– Fred Krieg